Mark’s Quick Review: Village in the Valley’s – Old Stories

Mark’s Quick Review: Village in the Valley’s – Old Stories

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

This album started out promising and the subject matter is pretty interesting. A whole production of small tragic stories that appeared in a little fictional village in a valley, and Nightrider was the song that would start and spread (according to the tale) evil across the village.

The third track about a Step father raping his step daughter who becomes pregnant and later commits suicide is pretty depressing so it better be a really kick ass song. But this is a real burden to get through. The melody just goes on and on the syncopation of the lyrics seem odd and forced. The songs tempo is way to slow and well the singer seems to be having trouble holding the notes.

To make matters worse Magic Playground actually might be an Ayreon Song called The Castle Hall.

I have to say take a pass on this album and better luck next time. I really think you have it in you to make a good album but this is not it.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:3 out of 5 stars (3.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:2 out of 5 stars (2.0 / 5)
MELODIC:3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
DRAMA:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)

 

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Review: Greg Lake’s – Live in Piacenza

Mark’s Quick Review: Greg Lake’s – Live in Piacenza

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

Buy Now

The sad thing for me is the only time I saw Greg Lake play was in Ringo Starr’s All Star band. This concert recorded in Italy back in 2012. Hearing this album just makes that a more sad fact.

This is an extremely well recorded and well executed live disk. Greg’s voice albeit different after 40 years is powerful and emotional.

Lake was joined for “Lucky Man” by a trio of respected Italian prog-rock musicians — Aldo Tagliapietra, Bernardo Lanzetti (PFM,Mangala Vallis), and Annie Barbazza.

Now I typically don’t listen to live albums let alone review them but this is an exceptional album with exceptional songs. Do you have trouble getting prog to the speakers because your friends or family do not like it? Well here is the album that everyone will love.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:1.5 out of 5 stars (1.5 / 5)
MELODIC:4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5)
ARTWORK & PACKAGING:4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5)
DRAMA:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:5 out of 5 stars (5.0 / 5)

 

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request Greg Lake Here

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Review: Village in the Valley’s – Old Stories

Mark’s Quick Review: Organized Chaos’ – Divulgence

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

Buy Now from Amazon US

This Belgrade-based progressive metal band has found some magic with this release. In part to Lalić’s vocals who vocals who I find to be as pleasing as Mariusz Duda’s vocals.

Cinnamon which is the strongest track on this album has some of the most interesting changes I have heard all year and a very epic ending.

Haken’s Richard Henshall does a wonderful job on Broken Divine. Opera singer Branislava Podrumac guests on The Mask which is wonderful as well.

This is for any fan of progressive melodic metal such as riverside, haken and porcupine tree.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:0 out of 5 stars (0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
HEAVINESS:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
MELODIC:3 out of 5 stars (3.0 / 5)
ARTWORK:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
DRAMA:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)

 

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Buy Now from Amazon US
Buy Now from Amazon UK

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Review: Village in the Valley’s – Old Stories

Mark’s Quick Review: Spriggan Mist’s – The Portal

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

Buy Now from Amazon US

This album is a nice folk album. But here I am at progrock.com and I have to rate it on my prog sensibilities. So if you are looking for a nice folk album with some prog leanings this album is for you.
I do see some of my prog friends liking this band on facebook so I think prog fans would like this album like I do.

If I had any criticisms it would be that they need to stay in Ann-mari’s range a bit better. She has a wonderful voice and decent range but it may not always pair will with what they have written.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:0 out of 5 stars (0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:1 out of 5 stars (1.0 / 5)
MELODIC:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
ARTWORK:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
DRAMA:2.5 out of 5 stars (2.5 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:3 out of 5 stars (3.0 / 5)

 

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Review: Village in the Valley’s – Old Stories

Mark’s Quick Review: Dead Centuries’ – Race Against Time

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

Buy Now from Amazon US

This Ottawa band has a few moments that I like but not that many. This is much better than my review will give them credit for. This is really for fans of a three piece metal instrumental band. This is for fans of Liquid Tension Experiment. Which by the way I was not a huge fan of.

So let me just say this quality album will suffer from my narrow mindedness about this particular sub genre of progrock.

Please give request it on the station below and see what you think. I have the “single” linked below.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:0 out of 5 stars (0.0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:1.5 out of 5 stars (1.5 / 5)
HEAVINESS:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
MELODIC:1.5 out of 5 stars (1.5 / 5)
ARTWORK:3 out of 5 stars (3.0 / 5)
DRAMA:3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:2 out of 5 stars (2.0 / 5)

 

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request Overdrive Here

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

Mark’s Quick Review: Village in the Valley’s – Old Stories

Mark’s Quick Review: The Cyberiam’s – Self Titled Album

If you have never read the key for my ratings below please do so one time. I feel my ratings are tougher than my peers. Also Check my last.fm link to see how compatible our music tasts are.

Buy Now from Amazon US

Local Band (Chicago) Cyberiam makes good with their debut album. The two people I knew who knew this band are big Steven Wilson fans. One being in a PTree tribute band called Cloud Zero and the other has seen Steven Wilson perform in about a dozen states and multiple countries. So it makes sense that this band has a porcupine tree fans in it. Tool, Dream Theater, and Coheed and Cambria are also listed as influences.

Don’t Blink really sounds like a Coheed and Cambria song to me. And for you Doctor Who fans your hopes have come true. Yes, not only is the title a Doctor Who reference but the song is full of Doctor Who references in it.

This is an exciting young band that gives me hope for a new generation of progressive rock. I am thinking very optimistically about progrock’s future with bands like Bent Knee, Unreal City, Thank You Scientists, and The Dear Hunter bringing in the younger audience.

Do everyone a favor and request a song below.

PREVIOUS BAND RATING:0 out of 5 stars (0 / 5)
ACCESSIBILITY:2 out of 5 stars (2 / 5)
HEAVINESS:4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)
MELODIC:3 out of 5 stars (3 / 5)
ARTWORK:4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)
DRAMA:4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)
OVERALL RATING:4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

 

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS: Request Here

Click Below to purchase at Amazon US or Amazon UK and we’ll get a little referral bonus on your whole order. Even if you don’t order this album

Buy Now from Amazon US
Buy Now from Amazon UK

Key:
These ratings are just attributes and may not have correlation to the most important: OVERALL RATING

PREVIOUS BAND RATING
0: Never heard of them or debut album.
1: Someone recommended. I give them another shot.
2: Some good moments in the past but never put together an album I really liked.
3: Some 4 or 5 star songs but albums can be hit or miss for me.
4: I like 80% of their songs and probably went to see them live.
5: I would, and probably have gone on a plane to see them live.

ACCESSIBILITY EXAMPLES
1: Weather Report
2: Zappa
3: Genesis – Selling England by the Pound,
4: Marillion – F.E.A.R
5: Kino – Picture

 

HEAVINESS EXAMPLES
1: IQ – Seventh House
2: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
5: Opeth – Black Water Park

MELODIC EXAMPLES:
1: Opeth – Black Water Park
2: Vanden Plas – Chirst 0, Dream Theater – Scenes From a Memory
3: Porcupine Tree – In Abstentia, Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
4: Discipline – Unfold Like a Staircase
5: IQ – Seventh House

OVERALL RATING:
1: Will Never listen to again and deleted under no circumstances should you buy this
2: Not my thing maybe one redeeming song.
3: I like parts of this and I would check them out if they were near me.
4: I would get in the car and road trip to see this album live
5: I would get on a plane to see this performed live

See if our likes are similar See my Last.fm Page

https://www.last.fm/user/mon40/library/artists

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